ISLAMABAD:
Marking National Minorities Day on Sunday, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif renewed Pakistan’s pledge to protect the rights, dignity, and inclusion of minority communities, stressing that interfaith harmony remains central to the country’s unity and progress.
In separate messages, both leaders lauded the contributions of minorities to nation-building, describing them as an integral part of Pakistan’s social and political fabric. They invoked Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision of a state where citizens of all faiths live in equality and mutual respect.
President Zardari said the occasion was a reminder of the nation’s responsibility to ensure the empowerment of minority groups in every sphere of life. He reiterated Pakistan’s resolve to confront discrimination, extremism, and intolerance, calling diversity “a source of strength, not division.” The Constitution, he noted, guarantees equal rights and protections to all citizens, regardless of faith or ethnicity.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif echoed these sentiments, saying the government is committed to integrating minority communities into national life — from public institutions to Parliament. He described their welfare as a “core duty” of the state and cited the founder’s historic August 11, 1947 speech as a guiding principle for religious freedom and equality.
Shehbaz also acknowledged the role of Sikhs, Christians, Hindus, Parsis, and other minority groups in the country’s development, emphasising that their inclusion is vital for a peaceful, prosperous Pakistan.
National Minorities Day, observed annually on August 11, was established to recognise the rights and contributions of non-Muslim citizens and to reaffirm Pakistan’s commitment to Jinnah’s inclusive vision.
